The authors prospectively studied psychotropic prescribing practices and
quality assurance data in 17 nursing homes in the Baltimore area to assess
the impact of federal antipsychotic drug regulations. There was a 36%
reduction in prescriptions for neuroleptics over 6 months, no increase in
prescriptions for sedative/hypnotics, and a small increase in prescriptions
for antidepressants. The authors conclude that psychotropic drug
prescribing practices and patient outcomes remain important areas of study
in nursing homes.
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